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assing through。 And I enjoy the life。 It's not a bad way to pass the time。〃
〃I want to know about this submarine；〃 she said quietly； after their coffee had been served。 〃Where is it now？〃
〃Locked away in an old naval shelter down in the island boatyards。 All two hundred feet of the damned thing。〃
〃Two hundred twenty feet；〃 Jana corrected him。 〃Width twenty feet； displacing approximately 749 tons of water。 And； if it is。 a German boat； most probably a vessel from the VII…C series； if that means anything to you。〃
〃No； it doesn't；〃 Moore admitted。
〃The workhorse of the Nazi submarine fleet。 They operated by the dozens both in the North Atlantic and in the Caribbean during the war。 I've dived on the wrecks of several just off Jamaica； but of course there's not much left to b through。 That's what the Foundation fails to understand； Mr。 Moore： The word we received is that this U…boat surfaced unaided。。。 and in almost perfect condition。 Now； since you're a diver yourself； you tell me how that's possible。〃
〃Okay；〃 he said。 〃First of all； I guess I should let you know that I'm the one who found the thing。 It was buried in sand at a hundred and fifty feet； and an unexploded depth charge blew it free。 Both the constable and myself have been inside it。 Yes； that's right。 It's authentic。 The hull's holding tight； all the equipment's still in place； and。。。〃 He paused。 Bodies？ Tell her about his vision in that dank tomb？ No。 〃It's still seaworthy；〃 he said。 〃And I have a theory。〃
〃Fine。 I'm listening。〃
〃The U…boat was buried in one hell of a lot of sand。 I believe a ledge just above it had given way and covered it over； and it remained there until the last big blow whipped the sea around and slid some of the sand back。 If the submarine were pletely buried there'd be no way the usual marine organisms could attach themselves to the iron。 The sand was a natural buffer against corrosion。〃
〃That would be a great deal of weight crushing the superstructure； wouldn't it？〃 she reminded him。
〃I didn't say the superstructure was unscratched。 How much pressure could those boats withstand？〃
〃Their shipyard guarantee was a little over three hundred feet；〃 Jana said； sipping at her coffee。 〃Some of them made it to six hundred and back with only minor structural damages。 Others may have gone even deeper before they imploded。〃
〃So it depended on the boat？〃
〃There may have been a difference of degree in the elasticity of the iron from shipyard to shipyard； or even from year to year。 But tell me this： Even if your theory is correct； it doesn't explain why the boat surfaced。〃
〃No；〃 Moore agreed； 〃you're right。 But couldn't the explosion have jarred a mechanism or something？〃
She gave him a patient smile。 〃That's rather remote。 There is； however； the possibility of a gas buildup within the boat。 You see； a submarine rises and falls by means of pressed air； filling the buoyancy cells with air to force the water out lifts it up； and letting the sea flood the cells again will make it descend。 It's rather like the action of the human lungs； if you can envision a U…boat breathing。 The captain can control the speed of an ascent or descent by regulating the amount of air or water in the cells。 Leonardo da Vinci came up with the idea of an underwater boat used for warfare centuries ago； but the concept so frightened him that he never executed a model。 Anyway； I can't see that the machinery to pump pressed air into the tanks would still be operable。 Of course。。。〃 She paused for a moment； tapping her finger on the table。 〃There might already have been pressed air in the tanks； though not enough to displace the weight that lay over it。 When the weight shifted the hulk began to rise。 One of the crewmen may have bled air into the tanks at the same time your suspected ledge collapsed。 But then it was too late。〃
The cook； still muttering about the lateness of the hour； brought a pot of bouillabaisse filled with chunks of snapper； crabmeat； and scallops simmered with tomatoes and peppers。 Moore began eating at once； but Jana tested it cautiously with a spoon before trusting her stomach to the exotic fare。
〃Of course；〃 Jana said after she'd taken a bite； 〃all of the systems were duplicated in each boat。 One mechanized； one manual。 But I doubt very seriously if there would have been any hands left aboard to operate the levers。 I presume the crew got out by means of an escape hatch； or perhaps through the torpedo tubes。〃
Moore sat motionless。 He held a spoonful of food near his mouth； then slowly put it back down onto his plate。 The tension in his stomach was palpable。 〃No；〃 he said huskily。
〃What？〃 Jana asked； looking up； seeing his face cloud over； the look of it put her on edge。
〃No；〃 Moore repeated。 〃That's not what happened at all。〃
Jana didn't know what he was talking about at first； and then it dawned on her。 Of course。 Skeletons。 〃How many are left？〃 she asked。
〃I。。。 I'm not sure。 I don't think。。。 I saw all of them。〃
〃You went from bow to stern？〃
He shook his head。 〃Just from the bow to the control room。〃
〃I'll want to go all the way aft；〃 Jana said。 〃I've seen skeletons in a sunken ship before。〃
〃Not skeletons；〃 Moore said quietly。 〃Not skeletons。〃 He blinked and gazed deep into her face。 〃What do you want to see the thing for？〃
〃If it's towable and in reasonably good condition the British Museum might be interested in the hulk as a war relic；〃 she said； puzzled by his behavior。 〃Which would mean a large grant to the Foundation； incidentally。〃
〃I see。〃 Moore pushed his food away。 〃Then you'll want to go down inside the U…boat？〃
〃That's right。 I'll be checking for damage； taking photographs and tape…recording notes。 I've been sent here to determine whether or not a salvage team is merited。〃
Moore saw the woman's eyes narrow a fraction； and he knew she was seeing beyond the mask of his face； getting a glimpse of the fear he felt。 He could virtually sense the iron crypt lying a little more than a mile from where they sat。 She looked away from him abruptly； preoccupied with her food。 Tell her； he told himself。 Tell her what you've seen。 YES！ SEEN！ It wasn't a hallucination； wasn't the product of an oxygen…starved brain！ You saw them there！ YOU SAW THEM THERE！
At that instant he realized he was clinging frantically to the edge of reason。 What would he say？ That he had seen long…dead things moving； reaching； swinging wrenches and hammers？ That somehow Death itself had stood still； or had claimed those crewmen but had released an evil rage that made their bodies move in strange mockery of life？ No。 God in Heaven； no。
〃How many。。。〃 Moore began。 〃How many men did a boat of that size crew？〃
〃Between forty…four and fifty；〃 Jana said； and thought he seemed to pale slightly。 The man knew something important； something she should know as well。 She must find out what it was。
My God； Moore almost said aloud。 He picked up his coffee； realized he'd finished it； and placed the cup back in its saucer。 Fifty。 Fifty。 Fifty。 The number thudded in his brain。 Stay away from the boat； Boniface had said。 The Night Boat。 A thing of dark